LOVE WITH A CAPITAL Fulfilling the Royal Law - Part 2 The Dining Room
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INTRODUCTION In the previous lesson, we discussed the fulfilling of the Royal Law within the sanctuary area of our church. This is the most holy area because it is where the altar is. The laws of God are posted on the walls. This is where we worship and reverence God. It is where we pray and give our testimonies of faith. But know, my brothers and sisters, that the dining room is also holy. For the entire church, not in part, is wholly consecrated unto God. It is not merely a place to eat food because God said in I Corinthians 10: 31, “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.�
MEALTIME When we go into the dining room, we eat, we drink, we talk and laugh. It is mealtime, a time not just to fill our bellies but to bond with our church family in truth and in spirit. Indeed, food is not just for nourishment but yields psychological and social comforts not only on the Sabbath but everyday.
MEALTIME In a common context, mealtime provides a means of routine, structure, familiarity and pleasure for us psychologically. It is a way to decrease stress, perhaps too much for many of us. Socially speaking, it allows us to develop and strengthen relationships. It enables communication. Think about the times you have breakfast, lunch or dinner with your family. It is not just about the food. That is your family time and it is a very important part of your routine.
MEALTIME Biologically speaking, when you sit up in a chair and eat, it is good for your digestion. Plus when you talk or listen, it slows down the eating process. Food of course provides energy and allows you to be more attentive. Why do you think many employers provide food when they are giving a seminar or presentation for example. They are more likely to have your attention. But of what of the spiritual context? Let’s look at some examples in the Bible of Christ’s works during mealtime.
THE WEDDING FEAST AT CANA When Christ was on this earth, He would often perform miracles or teach and edify, giving powerful lessons/ parables while eating with the people. They would say feast, breaking bread or to sit at meat. One of my favorite examples is in John 2: 1-11, Christ, his mother and disciples were at a marriage feast in Cana of Galilee. Now strange enough, there was no wine at this feast. Mary said to Christ, “they have no wine.” Jesus notably replied, “Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.”
THE WEDDING FEAST AT CANA Now on the surface, this may seem like an odd response but it was spiritual and prophetic. The wine represents Christ’s blood and Christ was talking about His impending death. It was not yet time for Him to die on the cross for there was a set amount of time He had to walk the earth. Next, He commanded them to fill 6 water pots of stone with water to the brim. Christ turned it into wine.
THE WEDDING FEAST AT CANA Bear this in mind. The number 6 was not a coincidence. Each water pot represented a millennium, a span of thousand years on this earth. And the wine in the water pot represents the blood that was shed for all of God’s people that were born or to be born in each of those millenniums. It was foretelling of what Christ was going to do and it was His very first miracle.
MATTHEW 9: 10-13 Let us also read in Matthew 9: 10-13. Here we can see that Christ was criticized for sitting down with sinners but God explained the importance of mercy and that His purpose was not just to commune with the righteous or so-called righteous but to call those who belonged to Him out of sin.
LUKE 7: 36-50 In Luke Ch. 7 vs 36-50, He again sat down to meat. A woman, who was a sinner, came to wash and anoint His feet with oil from an alabaster box. She used her hair and tears. She kissed his feet. The Lord had mercy on her and forgave her. Christ was ridiculed by the Pharisees. They did not think He was a real prophet because this woman had a really bad reputation apparently
MATTHEW 26: 26-30 But the Pharisees were nothing but hypocrites and Jesus knew this. So Christ gave the parable of the 2 debtors explaining that the person who was forgiven for the most sin or debt would also love and obey the most. Here, he shows the importance of mercy once more. Not only that, He exerts His authority and shows that He as our Savior has the power to forgive sins if we repent. One last and perhaps most important example was at the last supper before Christ died. Let’s read in Matthew 26: 26-30. This of course is read by the minister every time we do communion. All this done at mealtime.
SPIRITUAL FOOD So you can see, mealtime in this sense, was not just about filling the physical belly, it was not for socializing, it was about learning of the word of God. Spiritually feeding on the word and drinking His blood. During this time, the people could see Christ with their naked eyes, though most rejected Him. But every time He would speak, He would heal or sup with them, He offered them His body. His whole and entire self because Christ is the word. Don’t take my word for it. Let’s go to the scriptures, (John 1: 1-3 & John 6: 26-40).
HOLY CONVERSATION VS COMMON CONVERSATION Now when we go into the dining room, it should not be a time to socialize in a common manner either. This is a time for us to commune with one another, remaining in the spirit of Christ. We should uplift one another and talk about the word of God, just as Christ did. This can be extremely challenging. Believe me I get it. I am guilty of common conversation. We are in the flesh and our natural inclination is to please our flesh. Now I am not saying you should not ask a person how their week was or inquire about family members.
FULFILLING DIVINE LOVE IN THE DINING ROOM However, there is always that fine line and the conversation can quickly become common with no indication that it is Sabbath. We have to constantly fight the carnal mind in order to focus on the spiritual. One way to combat this is to make it a routine to say the blessing in the dining room. We should also play spiritual music in the dining room to help remind us that this is a holy day. By doing so we fulfill divine love, the first part of the Royal Law by continuing to magnify God’s laws, namely the 4th commandment, even during our lunch break.
FULFILLING BROTHERLY LOVE IN THE DINING ROOM We fulfill the second part of the Royal Law, brotherly love, when we take the time to prepare and serve food and refreshments to our brothers and sisters. This is done in particular during the New Moons and Feast Days. This is an act of hospitality, kindness, humility and love. This is Christ like because He also served food.
FISHES & LOAVES Two notable miracles were the fishes and the loaves. In the desert, He fed 5,000 men, not including women and children, with 5 loaves and 2 fishes, (Matthew 14: 13-21). In the wilderness, He fed 4000 men, not including women and children , with 7 loaves and a few fishes, ( Matthew 15: 32-29). These 2 separate events send a message. Nothing God does is random. In fact, everything is with intent, purposeful and serves as an important lesson for our salvation.
WILDERNESS VS DESERT The wilderness and desert represent two different spiritual conditions that people may be in. When you think of a wilderness, it is a land that is wild, uncultivated with weeds and other plants and trees plus predatory animals. A desert is a dry and arid land where there is very little to no signs of precipitation.
WILDERNESS VS DESERT A person in the wilderness, is a person that has not properly received the word of God but instead is consumed with sin and the false doctrines of this world (i.e. weeds) . They are confused and have been subjected to religious leaders, who are wolves in sheep’s clothing (i.e. predatory animals).
WILDERNESS VS DESERT A person in the desert represents someone who really has no exposure to God or any semblance of the truth. They have not received the rains of the Holy Spirit nor have they received the groundwater of Christ so it is impossible for truth to grow in them. Perhaps they are an atheist or it was never a part of their routine to attend church. Their family was never, as many would say, religious.
GOD WILL CALL HIS PEOPLE When Christ walked this earth He preached the gospel to people of all kinds of spiritual conditions. During His second coming, Christ will again call his people but out of the spiritual wilderness and desert. He will send them to booth and standard churches to learn of the truth. Many have had dreams that our church will grow in numbers. The people will come. And when they do, we will first feed them with the word of God, which is most essential and needed. Recall the words Christ said to Martha in (Luke 10: 39-42).
CHRIST LIKE But we will also show forth kindness, goodness, mercy, love and hospitality. We will have to feed people with actual food because some or many will be poor and without. But we are not without. We have the truth and the laws of Christ. We have this wonderful and beautiful church to call our own. We have our basic necessities and more. We have each other.
CONCLUSION And we must always remember to place love at the forefront. We must show love first to God through obedience and then show love to the brethren with humility and the spirit of forgiveness. This is how the Lord would have us to be. This is His Royal Law and it must be a part us of if we are to overcome as one body in our Lord Jesus Christ. May God be with you all. Amen.